ISC and Godrej are proposing to develop a detailed proposal under the PPP model for the +1 Million- 6 cities identified for Maharashtra on Plastic Waste Management solutions, this is also aligned with the government’s mandate. The aim is to develop PLASTIC CIRCULAR CITIES for Maharashtra. The 6 cities (ref. list below), will be divided between the 3 partners identified, who will partner with ISC and Godrej on the PWM Project for Maharashtra.

1. BACKGROUND

The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) along with selected Corporates and implementation partners are undertaking an ambitious project under the aegis of the SBM 2 guidelines to ensure that the proper solid and liquid waste management solutions are implemented across all the villages of rural India. The project will be implemented in various stages, with Phase 1 taking into account 75GPs in the shortlisted states.

The primary objective of the project is to create “Lighthouse Villages” across rural blocks in the shortlisted districts. These lighthouses will then be used as models by the district administrations to help other villages/blocks to achieve the same standards of efficiency and effectiveness.

As announced in the SBM 2 guidelines the DDWS has recognized the role of the private sector in SBM Grameen and has accordingly released the Corporate Collaboration Framework which suggests how corporates can associate with the SBM(G). DDWS also has issued guidelines to facilitate the involvement of CSR resources in sanitation works. These guidelines and framework suggest that Corporate/PSUs may take up the issues of sanitation through IEC, HRD, or through direct targeted interventions. Support to Corporates from DDWS in the implementation of sanitation projects is committed in the guidelines issued.

The India Sanitation Coalition which is a multi-stakeholder platform that facilitates the interaction between the private sector and the government to work in the sanitation space and drive sustainable water and sanitation solutions through a partnership model is collaborating with Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation to provide managerial, technical, and financial support for the Lighthouse Initiative project to support the implementation of Solid and Liquid waste management in rural areas.

The corporates, their implementation partners, and the Government (both central and state) would work together to achieve sustainable solid and liquid waste management solutions in villages of selected Districts and demonstrate effectiveness and efficiency in the implementation of solid and liquid waste management arrangements that could be scaled up across the country in subsequent phases of the project.

2. OBJECTIVES OF THE COLLABORATION

The key objectives of the partnership are:

- To create opportunities for the private sector to engage in the implementation of ODF plus components as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen. To this end, a team of corporate and their implementation partners will be selected based on their prior experience in this area.

- To improve the solid and liquid waste management arrangements (including plastic waste and fecal sludge management) in Districts across the Country through leveraging innovative, decentralized, and responsive technologies from Corporates and their implementation partners

- Corporates to work with the Gram Panchayats and village level communities as well as the district level and block level functionaries to share their technical, managerial, and financial capabilities so that once the project has been successfully implemented the local communities are empowered to take forward the solutions independently.

- Create model Villages and Blocks that would act as a “lighthouses” for other Blocks in terms of local planning for SLWM, implementation of innovative technologies and approaches, convergence of funds (Swachh Bharat, Fifteenth Finance Commission, MNREGS, Corporate funding, etc.), and effective utilization of resources for achieving ODF plus under Swachh Bharat

- ISC to act as the intermediary between the Government and Private sector overseeing each implementation and working closely with the data

- collection and recording agency to ensure a transparent reporting of each implementation.

- At the successful completion of each lighthouse project a report to be created by ISC in partnership with the Corporate and its implementation partner. Once all the reports are completed a final document compiling individual reports to be created and provided to DDWS for their perusal.

3. SCOPE OF WORK

- Create lighthouses in all Districts: Create villages that demonstrate community collective action on SLWM, responsive service delivery mechanism, innovative technical options, management, and monitoring arrangements and systems for decentralized operation and maintenance.

- Innovative communication and outreach instruments: Develop and demonstrate innovative communication and outreach strategy to inform, influence, and inspire Rural Local Bodies on the implementation of Solid and Liquid Waste management arrangements and sustainability of gains.

- Credible Monitoring and measurement arrangements: Develop and implement credible and smart monitoring and measurement arrangements that can inform the sector and facilitate decision support for the improvement of the programme.

- Capacity Building of institutions and individuals involved in ODF plus implementation: Develop systems for assessing training needs, training modules, and capacity building interventions to augment the capacity of institutions and individuals to undertake ODF plus implementation.

- Knowledge Management: Develop and implement systems for knowledge networking, management, and wider dissemination.

4. IMPLEMENTATION DESIGN

- Identification and Orientation of Corporates:

India Sanitation Coalition will identify and mobilise Corporate partners who would be oriented and trained by Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen on the objectives of the programme and partnership elements at a central location in New Delhi or Mumbai. The Orientation will be an opportunity for Corporates to better understand the opportunities, scope of work, and support that would be available to them from the Centre, States, District, and locally. They will also be provided an orientation on problems and challenges, available technical solutions, scope for innovation and improvement including a comprehensive overview of Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen Phase 2.0

- Identification of Districts

Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation and India Sanitation Coalition would jointly identify the Districts across the country that would benefit from this partnership. It is expected that around 15-to 20 States would be covered through this partnership. Location and interest of Corporates will be kept in mind while finalizing the Districts.

- Field Implementation

Identified Corporates would undertake following activities in the districts allotted to achieve the programme and partnership objectives:

Meet the District Team involved in the implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen in the District. The meeting would be used to introduce the Corporate Team Members and agree on the core group from both sides who would be responsible for managing the project. Undertake rapid appraisal in the villages adopted. This appraisal will be undertaken using participatory techniques and will involve local people in the whole process. The rapid appraisal will result in the identification of challenges and opportunities.

Gram Panchayat level Planning: The Corporate team would work with the Gram Panchayats in the Block and help Panchayats develop a comprehensive Gram Panchayat Development Plan that will address the problems identified as part of the appraisal. The GPDP shall also identify the funding needed to address all the sanitation-related challenges in the Gram Panchayats.

Financing of the GPDP: Gram Panchayats shall use the budgetary provisions of Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen, tied funds for sanitation provisioned under Fifteenth Finance Commission, MNREGS funds first to create the needed infrastructure. Corporate shall top up the remaining funds if there is a shortfall to meet all the costs for infrastructure agreed in the GPDP.

A detailed funding plan to be created by the GP and the Corporate to understand the level of costing required and to ensure that all 3rd party payments i.e. Data Collection agency, ISC etc. are carved out and ensured.

All payments to 3rd party vendors to be routed to them by the Corporate through ISC as the latter will be responsible to monitor and evaluate the results of each against which the funds are to be released.

Implementation of plan and construction of SLWM assets: Gram Panchayats shall lead the implementation. The Corporate team shall provide technical and managerial support to the Gram Panchayat in creating high-quality, innovative, and responsive solutions. It will be the responsibility of the corporate to ensure that the infrastructure is so created, that it meets all the SLWM requirements of the village. Declaration of the village as ODF plus. The Gram Panchayat, District SBM Team, and corporate partner shall together develop an Implementation Completion Report and if found complete and satisfactory, will facilitate a Gram Sabha wherein the village will be declared as ODF plus.

5. OPERATIONALISING THE PROJECT

India Sanitation Coalition shall set up a support and supervision team that shall undertake regular monitoring visits, facilitate needed support to corporate partners, liaise with DDWS, State, and District Governments, and will ensure that all requisite support is provided to the corporate partners. The Support and Supervision team shall meet the DDWS team on a recurring basis and keep DDWS abreast of the developments and challenges if any

Priority Actions and Timelines

6. FUNDING THE PROJECT